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College rankings: Which countries have the best education systems?

A new higher education ranking focuses on evaluating quality by countries as a whole, rather than specific academic institutions. Here are some of the findings:
Briefing
Gay marriage laws around the globe

There is no national gay marriage legislation in the pipeline in the US, however, numerous countries around the globe already recognize same-sex marriage or the right to civil unions. Here’s the breakdown by region.
Briefing
Top 3 reasons why Al Qaeda is more dangerous than ever

On the one-year anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death, defense analysts say that there are plenty of reasons to think that a resurgence of the perniciously resourceful Al Qaeda is not out of the question.
Anders Behring Breivik on trial: A roundup of global opinion

A roundup of opinions on the Anders Behring Breivik trial and the attention it has received from Norway and around the globe.
3 spring novels journey to foreign lands

From China to Australia, Korea to Michigan and other journeys, these novels show protagonists trying to navigate new territory.

All Content

NYC helicopter crash kills woman, injures others (VIDEO)

NYC helicopter crash into the East River killed one passenger and injured three others. Investigators are still trying to determine why the helicopter went down shortly after takeoff from a riverbank heliport.
Global News Blog
When is a golf tournament not just a tournament? When it's in North Korea.

Mao Zedong's 'ping-pong diplomacy' thawed Chinese-US ties. Could Kim Jong-il's 'golf club diplomacy' do the same for North Korean-US relations?
Occupy Wall Street: flash in the pan or beginning of a movement?

A growth spurt sent the Occupy Wall Street movement sprawling across the US and into other countries. It's showing greater organization and widening appeal. Will it hold together?
Nobel Prize for physics: Universe expansion accelerating, not slowing down

Three Americans won the $1.5 million Nobel Prize of physics for research showing that the expansion of the universe is speeding up.The prize will be split by Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt, and Adam Riess.
787 Dreamliner takes off at last. When can you jump aboard?

787 Dreamliner jet, Boeing's new fuel-sipping and passenger-friendly aircraft, left the US for Japan Tuesday, with executives of All Nippon Airways aboard. Commercial flights of the 787 Dreamliner start Oct. 28 – in Asia.
Stock buybacks: a first for Buffett

Stock buybacks would occur when Berkshire Hathaway stock is within 110 percent of book value. If stock buybacks happen, they would be the first in Warren Buffett's 46 years heading Berkshire.
NASA says 'we may never know' where runaway satellite crashed

The end to the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite that fell to Earth Saturday remains unknown due to its wide possible debris field. Best estimates suggest most of the debris fell into the ocean.
Falling satellite: 10 times space junk has crashed into Earth

Falling satellite trackers at NASA say it will hit Friday night or Saturday morning and has a small chance of crashing in the US. But the precise track and timing of the falling satellite is still hard to predict. Falling space junk has happened before, however, including these 10 examples.
Space junk: Where will out-of-control satellite crash? Probably not on you.

The space junk tumbling into Earth's atmosphere should hit Friday night or Saturday morning. But only 26 pieces are expected to survive, and the chances of one of them hitting any specific person is about 1 in 21 trillion.
UARS satellite (video): Where will this space junk crash?

NASA is tracking the bus-sized Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) and expect it to fall to Earth Friday afternoon. Precisely where the UARS satellite will land is still uncertain - but not in North America, says NASA.
Does America really need 'X-Factor'? In two words, 'heck yes.'

'The X-Factor,' another singing reality competition, debuts Wednesday. At what point will the US public hit singing TV saturation? Not yet, suggest experts and critics.
Founding Fathers' advice to deficit 'super committee': Bring US troops home

If the deficit 'super committee' is serious about finding $1.5 trillion in cuts over the next decade, they will have no choice but to do as the Founding Fathers would have done – bring the troops home and drastically reduce America's foreign military presence.
Corruption hobbles Russia's Far East

Moscow is looking to Russia's Far East as a region poised for better times, and a building boom aims to make Vladivostok an investment hub. But young residents are still leaving the city in droves.
Southern Lights (Aurora Australias): A rare video from above

Check out this video of the Southern Lights, a.k.a. Aurora Australias taken from aboard the International Space Station.
Pakistan's Islamic preachers: Gateway to radicalization?

Since 9/11, Pakistan's Islamic preachers have gotten far less international scrutiny than in militant groups. But the social and religious conservatism they preach could be an even more radicalizing force.
Africa Monitor
Africa Rising: Guinea reworks its deal with mining companies

Development experts say Guinea's new mining code may be its best chance to ensure the world's largest supplier of aluminum ore gets a fair share of the profits. The question: will the new law be enforced?
Rugby World Cup: US starts play Sunday, as part of pool stage action

The Pool Stage is the initial round of competition in the Rugby World Cup. At the conclusion of this round, two teams (a winner and a runner-up) will advance to the next stage, or "quarter-finals." There are four pools - A, B, C and D, and it is widely anticipated that the top seeds in those pools: New Zealand, England, Australia and South Africa respectively, will move to the next round.
Rugby World Cup, including US, kicks off Friday

The Rugby World Cup, which takes place every four years, commences in New Zealand Friday. It is being broadcast by NBC/Universal and can also be streamed on the internet at RugbyWorldCup.com
Thailand's female monks (cautiously) lobby for legal recognition

A quiet campaign to grant female monks legal recognition began this summer. Advocates hope that the minimal fanfare will help the 'Bhikkhunis' evade conservative religious opposition.
Global markets drop sharply on US, Europe outlook

Global markets reflect worry about rising interest rates for eurozone's weakest nations and possibility of a US recession. Among global markets to tumble most: Germany, down 5.3 percent and France, down 4.7 percent.
Labor Day: 5 things you probably didn't know about the end-of-summer holiday

Labor Day: From a debate surrounding the holiday's founder to an enigmatic social rule, the history of Labor Day offers plenty of material to keep you reading on your time away.
The New Economy
Blackface backfires on Qantas Airways

Blackface donned by rugby fans in Qantas promotion gets airline in hot water in social media. Qantas already facing financial trouble.
Irene challenges forecasters on storm intensity

Tropical storm Irene illustrates improvements that forecasters have made in forecasting a hurricane's track. But it also highlights needed improvements in forecasting storm intensity.
Change Agent
Solar firm taps social-media expert to spur a 'rooftop revolution'

Patrick Crane was impressed by his solar roof. Now the former LinkedIn executive expects solar power to become a 'social phenomenon.'
A new alien diamond planet discovered

Diamond planet: A super-high pressure of the new planet, which orbits a rapidly pulsing neutron star, has likely caused the carbon within it to crystallize into an actual diamond, a new study suggests.